AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION.—FARM OF DR. POO.L 
207 
prey of the insect on that account, and I do hope that 
our horticulturists will alter their method, and let us 
have a more moderate and natural growth of our nur¬ 
sery peach trees. 
Farm Wagons —The best mode of constructing 
farm-wagons and carts, and harnessing for easy 
draft was next discussed. To widen the tires for 
paved or Macadamized streets, was recommended. 
Shepherd Knapp, Esq., presented $50 to the American 
Institute, to be given as a premium for the best 
farm-wagon at the next October fair. 
Bone-dust, diluted with sulphuric acid, was recom¬ 
mended as a manure. 
Guano on Corn. —A communication was read 
from Mr. Wm. B. Oddie, on the use of guano as a 
steep for seed corn. He soaked his seed for two 
days in a mixture of one pint of guano to 4 gallons 
of blood-warm water. It has given his corn a rapid 
growth, and proved the best scarecrow he had ever 
employed—for after the crows had one taste they 
never troubled the corn again. 
Coal Gas Tar. —A communication was read from 
Mr. Roswell L. Colt, of New Jersey, relating to the 
application of coal gas tar to fruit trees, for the pur¬ 
pose of destroying worms and noxious insects. 
Corn. —Several members spoke upon the subject. 
The general opinion expressed was, that the ground 
should be well manured and tilled by plowing and 
harrowing, and that the subsequent culture should be 
performed with the cultivator and hoe, so as to leave 
the soil and manure undisturbed, and that in harvest¬ 
ing corn it was decidedly best to cut the com up at the 
roots instead of topping it as is sometimes practised. 
One gentleman disapproved of the practice of killing 
crows, considering them a useful bird to destroy in¬ 
sects and vermin on the farm. He could always 
keep them from his fields by extending strings across 
them. A member stated that a crop of corn averag¬ 
ing 90 bushels to the acre, was produced, where the 
only working of the crop was performed with the 
cultivator, which was passed through the field three 
times. The hoe was not used. It was stated that 
Mr. Brown, of New Hampshire, has raised 135 
bushels of shelled corn to the acre. His corn is a 
variety of his own raising. The secretary, on motion, 
was requested to obtain from Mr. Brown his mode of 
cultivating corn. 
Grafting. —Specimens of root grafting were ex¬ 
hibited—not only of grape vines, but also pears, &c. 
Subject for the next meeting—The best mode of cul¬ 
tivating roots for soiling purposes. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 
The monthly meeting of this Association was 
held at the Historial Society’s Rooms, on Wednesday, 
4th June, Hon. Luther Bradish, President, in the 
chair. After the minutes of the last meeting were 
read, Wm. A. Seeley, Esq., proceeded to read extracts 
from the London Chemist, upon the subject of elec¬ 
tricity as applied to the cultivation of grain, and then 
make some remarks upon the subject, which were 
highly interesting and important. 
Communications were received from Thomas 
Spalding, Esq., of Georgia, L. Pratt, and J. S. Wads¬ 
worth, accepting their appointment as Counsellors of 
the Association. Mr. Spalding forwarded some seeds 
and several specimens of rare plants. 
A communication was received from Mr. Albert 
Carl, Secretary of the Queens Co. Ag. Society, desir¬ 
ing to open a correspondence with the Association. 
A motion was made directing the Corresponding Sec¬ 
retary to open a correspondence with Mr. Carl. 
Mr. Russel was appointed one of the committee on 
galvanic and electrical experiments in the place of 
Mr. Clark, resigned. 
A. report from the committee on meteorology was 
read by Mr. Green. Also, a memorial to the Regents 
of the University upon the same subject. 
Mr. Jones read a communication upon the subject 
of rye top-dressed with guano. He presented two 
specimens to the Association; one had been raised 
where soap-stone or impure serpentine had been de¬ 
posited, for the purpose of making a road, and the 
other some distance from it. Where the rye grew 
near the soap-stone, it was much more perfectly de¬ 
veloped, which Mr. J. attributed to the fertilizing 
qualities of the disintegrated soap-stone. 
Mr. Clark made a verbal communication upon 
preserving timber. An interesting discussion arose 
upon the subject, in which Mr. Clark, Dr. Gardner 
Messrs. Seeley, Jones, and Swain, took part. 
A letter was received from J. B. Purroy,Esq , 
Consul of Venezuela, desiring an interchange of com 
munications with the Instituto Tovar of Caraccas 
On motion, the Cor. Sec. was directed to open a cor¬ 
respondence. Mr. A. Stevens presented a specimen 
of wool from the back of a Southdown ram, one of 
six recently imported by Mr. Easton, of Mt. Morris, 
Livingston Co., which was of superior quality, on 
account of its length of staple and its softness. He 
also described some Cheviot sheep, China pigs, and 
shepherd dogs, recently imported by Mr. Carmichael 
of Sing Sing, for his farm in Wisconsin. 
Meeting adjourned to 1st Wednesday in July. 
FARM OF DR. POOL. 
Last month we had a delightful ramble among the 
farmers in New Jersey, passing up a part of the val¬ 
ley of the Hackensack—thence across to New 
Brunswick—thence up the Raritan to its forks, and 
round the South Branch to the North, and thence 
home. We were pleased and instructed with much 
that we saw, and quite the reverse with some other 
matters. We shall give details hereafter, confining 
our notes in this number to the farm of Dr. Pool. 
This farm lies within a mile and a half of the 
flourishing town of New Brunswick, and consists of 
over 200 acres, part of which is broad alluvial mea¬ 
dows on the Raritan, of great fertility, and the other 
part gradually rising upland of a fair quality, techni¬ 
cally termed red shale. It is a stock farm, and as 
much of it, consequently, kept in grass as possible. 
Everything raised here, with the exception of the 
wheat crop, it is intended shall be consumed on the 
land. This gives large quantities of manure to en¬ 
rich the uplands. The meadows are more or less 
overflowed every spring, and a rich alluvial sediment 
is left, which answers as a first rate top-dressing; and 
notwithstanding the grass is annually carried off' and 
consumed elsewhere, they keep up their fertility, 
yielding about two tons of choice hay per acre, be¬ 
sides a thick coat of aftermath. We are surprised 
that any one should think of breaking up such lands 
for root and grain crops, more especially at their pre¬ 
sent prices; for after being well set in grass, this 
gives the most profitable return on the average oi 
